From a galaxy far, far away, an iconic movie prop is on its way to an auction near you.
The iconic Star Wars weapon was used by actor David Prowse and his stunt double, Bob Anderson, in iconic fight scenes in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. This includes the classic “I Am Your Father” scene.
“Darth Vader, of course, arguably the most memorable villain of all time,” Brandon Alinger, the COO of the auction house Propstore, which is hosting the sale, said. “And this is his weapon, the weapon of cinema’s most infamous, recognizable, unforgettable villain.”
This lightsaber looks like a heavy, scuffed cylinder of chrome and black. Alinger claims that it began as a camera flash attachment before being changed into a lightsaber with a little film magic. This is the first time this specific Darth Vader lightsaber is up for auction, despite Propstore owning other lightsabers. According to Propstore, the item will sell for between $1 million and $3 million.
“A million is the low end of the estimate, the estimate is $1-3 million, we really don’t know what this will sell for,” Alinger said. “That’s the beauty of the auction process, the final price is determined by the bidders, it depends who steps in and bids and ultimately how hard they want to battle, or duel for, the piece on the day.
“The record was an X-Wing fighter model we sold for about $2.3 million three years ago… a lot of people think this is a more interesting piece, so it has the potential to eclipse that.”
The lightsaber has been on tour in the weeks before the auction, giving fans and prospective bidders the chance to see it up close in Beverly Hills, New York, and London. The prop is up for sale along with over 1,000 lots of movie costumes and props, which are believed to be worth $10 million (£7.5 million) in total. Propstore is also displaying props from other popular movies, such as the clapperboard from Jaws, the neuralyzer from Men in Black, and the bullwhip from Indiana Jones, in addition to the lightsaber. The Batsuit worn by Michael Keaton in 1989’s Batman and the Spider-Man suit worn by Tobey Maguire in the 2002 superhero movie are expected to be among the best-selling items. Los Angeles is the tour’s last destination.
Learn more about the auction at Prop Store Auction
What do you think of the auction? How much would you pay for an original lightsaber? Let us know in the comments below!
